


Unanticipated

by Kate_Shepard



Series: The Secret Life of Commander Shepard [2]
Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe, Dirty Talk, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Het Alpha/Omega, Infertility, Knotting, Light Angst, No Pregnancy, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Oral Sex, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Shrios, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-29
Updated: 2017-05-29
Packaged: 2018-11-06 04:31:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11028687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kate_Shepard/pseuds/Kate_Shepard
Summary: Commander Shepard had lived her life as an alpha with a secret, but when that is no longer an option, will Thane step up to be what she needs?





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Rewrite of Unexpected with Shrios rather than Shakarian.  
> I've recently been drawn into the Omegaverse and decided to try my hand at it since it's a different take on one of my favorite kinks and throws in some existing headcanons of mine. I've played around with the "rules" a bit to make it fit. Also, I've completely made up all of the physiological stuff and I'm not a medical professional, so if anyone has suggestions on ways to fit it better into existing biology, feel free to give input. Here goes nothing. Be gentle!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Prologue throughout this series is the same for all stories in order to introduce the central concept no matter which one is read first. Feel free to skip it if you've read one of the other versions.

“Operative Lawson!” Miranda looked up as her name was called and walked over to the scientist who was looking down in shock at the charred body on the table.

“What is it?” she asked.

“Look,” the man said.

Miranda looked down, but she wasn’t a doctor and all she could see was blackened, desiccated meat. “What am I looking at?” she asked. “Muscle?”

The scientist squared his shoulders and said, “The trapezius isn’t the focus here, ma’am. The supraclavicular and suprascapular nerves are. Specifically note their placement, Operative. It indicates readiness for a pair mark. More importantly, if you look closely here,” he added, gesturing with a sleek metal instrument, “you can see the terminary gland. We previously noted that the intraorbital α gland was underdeveloped, but wanted to ascertain that it wasn’t simply damaged before bringing it to your attention. I’ve never seen this before. She has both α and ω prohormone glands, but the α gland is likely non-functional. As further evidence of the terminary gland’s prioritization, we’ve also discovered scent glands on the wrists. Were you aware of this?”

“No,” Miranda said. “Listen closely. Tell no one outside of the project about this.” When he nodded, she turned and went to her office to activate the QEC. She needed to speak with the Illusive Man. This was entirely unexpected and unprecedented.

The holo of her employer appeared and he tapped his cigarette into the ashtray before saying, “I trust this is important, Ms. Lawson.”

“It is,” she assured him. “I’ve just learned that Shepard is an omega. Sir, this changes everything.”

“It changes nothing,” he said, but she was gratified to see surprise on his face. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully and said, “You’re sure?”

“Positive,” she answered. “She has both sets of glands, but the α gland doesn’t appear functional while the ω gland is fully developed and she has the appropriate scent glands. Physically, she is both Alpha and omega. Functionally, she is an omega. Sir, if we were to promote the development of her α gland and transplant her reproductive system from the backup, it is possible that we could create an Alpha who could bear a child. She is far more suited to study than to any type of leadership position. She could be the next evolution of humanity.”

“I wonder how she managed to hide it from the Alliance?” he mused. “From everyone. She should have been detected by now. She would have to have a doctor assisting her. Dr. Chakwas is the most likely answer. We will simply have to recruit her. As for the rest, it’s fascinating and under other circumstances, I would agree with you. The Reapers, and by proxy, the Collectors are a more immediate concern.”

“But, sir, an omega can’t—” Miranda began only to be cut off.

“Shepard can and she will. I don’t care what she is. Change nothing, Miranda.” With that, the QEC blinked off and Miranda was left standing in her office alone.

Commander Shepard was an omega. The youngest N7 graduate, the hero of Elysium, the savior of the Citadel, and the first human Spectre was not only not the Alpha she was registered as; she was a bloody unregistered omega. The paragon of the galaxy had committed fraud. Omegas weren’t unheard of in the military, but they were almost never promoted to any type of command higher than that of executive officer. An omega needed an Alpha as a direct supervisor. Shepard should never have been able to function as a Spectre. The autonomy provided them was anathema to omegas.

How had she done it? Perhaps she’d succeeded because there were no Alphas on her crew. In the complete absence of an Alpha, betas or omegas could assume positions of leadership. Perhaps having her chain of command even peripherally available to her had somehow been enough. Perhaps the α gland was just functional enough to allow her to override her omega biology and to mask her status. Miranda didn’t know, but she needed to find out because the crew roster being put together for Shepard’s team meant that the commander was about to be in charge of not just one Alpha, but a group. They might as well throw her to the wolves or just scrap the project altogether. The first time she went into heat, there would be chaos.

Well, that was something Miranda could deal with. Hormone blockers could prevent heats. The report she’d received the day before had stated that it was unlikely that the commander’s fertility could be saved in any case without a transplant and a significant amount of effort. That left Miranda with a dilemma. An infertile omega could sink into a deep depression. On the other hand, the urge to reproduce became a biological imperative in the mid-thirties and Shepard was approaching that age. She couldn’t afford to be sidetracked before the Reaper threat was over and that could take years. The likelihood of Shepard surviving the suicide mission was minimal and her chances of surviving the coming war were even smaller. Her ability to reproduce in the future was far lower on Miranda’s list of priorities than maintaining a stable mental and emotional state.

Further research on the topic led Miranda to her solution. There was a very, very small subset of omega females and a slightly larger subset of omega males who felt that the desire to reproduce was a form of biological hijacking of their free will and chose to be sterilized. For those individuals, removal of the uterus while leaving either the ovaries or testicles in place was the preferred course of treatment. It prevented the psychological repercussions of infertility while also forestalling the biological imperative. It didn’t remove the need for an Alpha or the sexual drives, but it would at least keep Shepard from being ruled by her uterus when they needed her focused. She sent her report to the Illusive Man and received permission before instructing the reconstruction team to follow through on her plan.

She hesitated after giving the order. Miranda was a beta. She was unable to bear a child. She’d never had a choice in the matter. Her father—an omega—had decided that the drives of both Alphas and omegas were weaknesses and that the mutations that caused the condition were not an evolution but a devolution into a more animalistic state. Neither an Alpha nor an omega could then be called perfect. He had seen the lack of fertility as unimportant given the advances in genetic modification. In his eyes, if she wished to reproduce, she could always be cloned. He’d managed to find a way to circumvent having an Alpha in order to have a child but he’d denied her the opportunity to have one of her own. “Ensure that the reproductive system is able to accept a transplanted uterus at a later date,” she added. She would only go so far in playing God. She wasn’t her father.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2 is similar to that in Unexpected, but with some significant rewriting.

Shepard shook her head as she left the main battery. Had she always had this inexplicable desire to make Garrus happy? She wanted to please him, but Garrus had never been anything more than a friend. Sure, the loss of his team had saddened him and she didn't like to see him hurting, but her reaction to him was slightly off, even for one of her closest friends.

The answer to her question came not from Garrus himself, but from Thane when she entered Life Support to speak with him. His smile upon seeing her warmed her heart. His scent wrapped around her, spicy, dry, and faintly sweet, and she drew closer to him than she normally did. She was surprised to see that the stoic assassin looked discomfited by her presence. When he, too, turned her away, she jokingly said, “Do I smell bad or something?”

“On the contrary, Commander,” he said seriously, his voice deeper than she’d ever heard it. It traveled across her skin like a physical touch. “You smell far too appealing. I had not realized….”

When he didn’t continue, she said, “Hadn’t realized what?”

He shook his head. “I made an assumption about human practices. I was incorrect but did not intend offense. I apologize.”

“What are you talking about, Thane?” she asked patiently.

His inner eyelids blinked and he said, “I assumed that human omegas functioned in the same manner as drell.”

“Omegas,” she said flatly.

“You are an omega, are you not?” he asked, looking confused now. “Forgive me, but you smell…like an unclaimed omega. If so, I would advise avoiding Zaeed.”

“Shit,” she said.

This was an unforeseen complication. Miranda knew, of course, but none of the other crew. She’d always been able to mask it in the past and keep her heat cycles regulated. Something about her reconstruction must have changed that. The hormone therapy wasn’t working if Thane could smell her. And if he found her scent appealing, that meant that she was likely going into heat. She was going to have to correct that quickly. They didn’t have time for shore leave and she couldn’t afford to spend the next week locked in her cabin. Zaeed would be easy enough to avoid and all of the other human males on board were either betas or omegas, so they wouldn’t be a problem, but no one in Cerberus had thought to adjust the alien crew roster accordingly. Hell, even she hadn’t known that aliens could scent it in humans. It had never been an issue on the first Normandy.

“How does this work with drell?” she asked. She needed to know if he would have a problem serving under an omega. She gave herself a mental shake when her traitorous mind pictured her serving under him. She’d found him attractive from the moment they’d met, but his health and the dead mate had caused her to keep her distance. She reminded herself that both of those were still obstacles. Her body didn’t seem to care.

He adopted the posture he used when educating her on other aspects of his species and said, “Omegas rarely leave Kahje. They are the nurturers and homemakers of our society. Their desire is to remain close to home and family. We have no betas. As Rakhana began to fail, natural selection weeded out the members of society who could not contribute to the survival of the species. Thus, all who serve under the Compact are Alphas. Omegas lack the necessary aggression and willingness to take life. That is why I assumed that you were an Alpha.”

“Is there any type of social stigma attached to omegas that I should know about?” she asked, fighting the urge to kneel. He wasn’t her Alpha. He couldn’t be.

“No, Commander,” he said. “It is quite the opposite. Omegas are rarer than Alphas because the majority are female and our female population is smaller. They are valued in our society and are often placed into positions of leadership as long as they have an appropriate Alpha to counter the demands upon them. We are a matriarchal society. The Alpha rules only his omega. He has no say over her decisions that affect the whole. It provides balance by giving the ability to form our society to the ones who have the most invested into it while allowing the Alphas to focus their attention on their omegas.”

“So you have no objection to serving under me?” she asked.

“None,” he said. “However, it would be cruel to claim you due to my condition. Therefore, I would be more comfortable if you returned in a few days.”

She understood his meaning. Alphas and omegas bonded for life. The loss of a bondmate was an extremely painful prospect for either party. It was possible for the surviving mate to form a new bond, but very uncommon. Thane had already experienced the pain of losing a mate. He would not, as an honorable individual, knowingly subject her to that as long as he was able to control it. 

Every species that possessed Alphas and omegas had some sort of belief regarding mates and destiny. Humans called them soulmates. Drell, apparently, called them soulbonds. Turians called them spirit bonds. Asari called them lifemates. Quarians called them suitmates. The term varied, but the basic premise did not. Bonding was possible even between two individuals who were not so-called soulmates and was thought to sever any other potential bond. However, the strongest ones were between two individuals who were drawn so strongly to one another that they felt powerless to avoid it.

Thane’s description of his reaction to Irikah—the instant reaction to her, the need to meet her, the willingness to walk away from everything for her—was a perfect example of this. Unfortunately, his training had made him particularly unsuited for the life of a domestic Alpha. She supposed that the aggression they generally displayed had overpowered the protective drive as the former had been the only one nurtured in him. Training could override instinct. She was a prime example of that. It had ultimately been his undoing.

“Thank you for bringing this to my attention,” she said. “I should go.”

“Please feel free to alert me should you have any problems with Zaeed,” he said, sounding uncharacteristically protective. “I do not anticipate that Garrus would act in an untoward manner, but Zaeed is a different story.”

Her automatic reaction was to reply with _Yes, sir,_ but she resisted. “I think I’ll just give him a wide berth until I can get this sorted out,” she said. He was the only human Alpha present, so a dominance display could easily lead her into territory she didn’t want to traverse. It was hard enough for her to control him as it was. He wouldn’t harm her, but it would make keeping him in line far more difficult. “And, Thane, please don’t mention this to anyone else. Humans do carry a stigma against omegas in leadership positions.”

“Your secret is safe with me, Commander,” he assured her.

She nodded and left the Life Support room to go to the med bay. She needed to speak with Chakwas. The doctor greeted her warmly and listened with mounting concern as Shepard outlined the problem. Chakwas shook her head and ran a diagnostic scan. Shepard had hoped that the fix would be as simple as increasing or tweaking her hormones, but the doctor’s furrowed brow as she looked at the scan made her stomach sink.

“I should have looked at this more carefully when you came back, Commander,” the doctor finally said. “You were an anomaly to begin with even if your α gland was underdeveloped. You should not have had one at all. Unfortunately, it seems that it was damaged and not properly repaired. Hormones alone will not be sufficient as you are no longer producing α prohormones at all.”

Shepard sighed and sank down onto one of the beds. This wasn’t good. She had been able to be registered as an Alpha due to the presence of the gland. Her mother had pulled a lot of strings to make that happen in the hopes that Shepard would continue the tradition of military service. Had she been registered as an omega, her career would have come with an automatic glass ceiling. Hannah Shepard hadn’t wanted that for her daughter. The α prohormones she’d produced hadn’t been enough to overcome the ω ones, but they had served to minimize her heats and mask the omega scent. Replacement hormones had enhanced them and allowed her to present herself as an Alpha even among other Alphas and omegas. It had been enough to fool both Liara and Kaidan into believing that she was an available Alpha. It seemed that would no longer be the case.

“What do we do?” she asked.

Chakwas said, “Hormone therapy will be enough to mask your scent to most Alphas when you are not in heat and allow you to at least present as a beta. It should also be sufficient to provide you with the necessary aggression to continue in your mission. You can honestly state that your α gland was damaged. Its presence means that you shouldn’t have to change your registration, so it shouldn’t affect your career. However, you will have to rely more fully on your training and quickly come to see this crew as one in need of your protection so that you may channel that aggression. No one else needs to know. You should simply make an effort to avoid Zaeed and the other omegas until your heat is over.”

“I’ve already thought of that. And Garrus and Thane?” she asked. Garrus’ earlier reaction to her made more sense now. He, too, could probably smell the change.

“What about them?” Chakwas asked.

“They smell it, too,” she said.

“I’m afraid I am not very familiar with the way this translates across species between humans and turians or drell,” the doctor said. “It wasn’t an issue with Garrus before the change, but I don’t know what it will be like now and I am entirely unfamiliar with the condition among drell. Mordin would be the more appropriate person to ask.”

“I thought no one else needed to know,” she said.

“Salarians have no sex drive,” Chakwas said. “That means no biological hierarchy. I do know that much. He will see it as a purely academic question and he will keep your confidences. On a personal note, do be careful with Thane. Were it not for his condition…. No matter. I don’t want to see you hurt, Shepard.”

“Thanks, Doc,” she said and rose from the bed.

After receiving assurance from EDI that neither Zaeed nor the other omegas in the crew were between herself and the Tech Lab, Shepard took the lift to the bridge. Mordin looked up when she entered and gave her the quick, tight smile he seemed to reserve for her and times when he felt that he needed to reassure one of the human crew. She didn’t know if he was genuinely happy to see her or if he felt that she needed constant reassurance. She hoped it was the former.

He, too, listened as she relayed her conversation with Chakwas, but he didn’t seem to view it as seriously detrimental as Karin had. Like the doctor had predicted, the salarian simply viewed it as an interesting academic question. He nodded enthusiastically and said, “Fascinating deviation from norm! Current heat cycle problematic; however, can likely synthesize more effective masking hormone. Should be able to control timing of cycles to coincide with scheduled shore leaves in future. Don’t worry, Shepard. Minor setback. Easily fixable. Will give me something to do in free time.”

“Thank you, Mordin,” she said, feeling relief wash over her. “In the meantime, do you have any advice for getting through this without the crew finding out?”

“Primary difficulty will be your own discomfort,” he said. “Cold water, rest, personal aids should help. As for crew, only human omegas are Jacob, Donnelly, Chambers. Illusive Man probably alerted Chambers. Simply avoid armory and engineering. Most crew are betas. Most likely intentional. Assume Chakwas warned about Zaeed.”

“She did,” she said. “So did Thane.”

“Ah, yes,” he said with a nod. “Alien crew. Bond rarely transcends species outside of asari given evolution toward breeding, but not unheard of. Krogan have no Alpha/omega. Grunt not a concern. Quarians only care about status with potential mates. Given filters, Tali unlikely to notice. Samara is Alpha, but sworn to your service and celibate. Not a concern. Garrus, unmated Alpha, close friendship. Fortunately, turians have hierarchy built in. Won’t challenge ability to lead mission. Thane potentially problematic given life expectancy. How do you react to him?”

“Stronger than any of the others,” she admitted. “He smells amazing and I find myself wanting to be closer to him. That’s a bad sign, isn’t it?”

“Not necessarily,” he said. “Depends on views of Thane as potential mate.”

“You think _Thane_ is my soulmate?” she asked incredulously.

“Could do much worse. Thane is strong, intelligent, loyal, attractive by drell and human standards, already a trusted friend,” he said. “Garrus probably safer choice, but don’t see problem with Thane.”

“He’s dying,” she said. 

“Doesn’t have to,” Mordin said. “Candidate for transplant. Could attempt to cure Kepral’s if I have time. Good match, if you’re willing to take risk. No offspring, but other benefits could outweigh procreation. Mission stressful for anyone. Alpha could give outlet to relieve stress. Allow you to safely be omega in personal life. Puts personal face on war, something to fight for. If salarians mated traditionally, would hope for mate to be someone I enjoyed spending time with. Would want trust, friendship, similar outlook, morals, goals.”

“You could cure him?” she asked incredulously.

He tapped his chin in consideration and said, “Possibly. Dependent on extent of illness, amount of free time. Can create, alter disease. Should be able to cure one.”

“You would do that for us?” she asked. 

“Not just you,” he said. “Ramifications on entire drell population. Could save species, atone for work on genophage. Yes, would be worthy cause.”

“I’ll…think about it,” she said. She would need to speak with Thane about this. In a few days, of course.

He nodded again. “Will begin synthesizing hormone. May be able to find something to combat symptoms of heat in a day or two. In the meantime, spend time with Grunt, Jack. Will satisfy increased desire to nurture.”


	3. Chapter 3

The following day, Shepard began her morning with a cold shower. She worked on reports before going to the mess hall in the hopes that most of the crew would have finished chow and the mess would be empty. Spending the week sneaking around her own ship was going to be miserable, but she enlisted EDI’s help and rearranged the duty roster so that those she needed to avoid would be away from places she needed to be. The minutiae was distracting and helped ease her growing discomfort. EDI agreed to warn her should any Alphas or omegas be present in an area in which she needed to be. When the AI informed her that the mess was empty of any concerning individuals, Shepard went down for breakfast. She could always retreat to the med bay if she had to.

She was going to have to figure something out. The Illusive Man had ordered them to investigate a disabled Collector ship. She had beta team members who were strong enough that she thought they could handle it, but she _knew_ that Thane and Garrus could. Thane had said that he didn’t have a problem following an omega and he was disciplined enough that she was almost positive that he could ignore her heat for the mission. She wasn’t so certain about Garrus. Their ideas of hierarchy were deeply ingrained and she hadn’t taken him into the field since he’d learned about her omega status. Everything could have changed.

There was only one way to find out. She finished her breakfast and set the datapad aside to pick up later. Squaring her shoulders, she strode purposefully to the main battery. If there was going to be a problem, it would be better to figure it out now. If Garrus couldn’t handle it, she’d take Thane and Mordin or Miranda. Mordin would be her preference as he could deal with any issues that might arise with Thane and wouldn’t be affected. However, Miranda was a beta and could take over if Shepard needed to pass leadership off for mission cohesion. Either one of them would be acceptable, but she wanted her preferred team.

Garrus tensed visibly even in his armor when the door opened and she entered. He didn’t turn to face her when he said tightly, “Is this important, Commander? I’m in the middle of some calibrations.”

“We have a mission,” she said.

“Shit,” he groaned and raised a hand to rub over his face. “All right.”

“Look at me, Garrus,” she commanded. He did. That was a good sign. He still followed her orders. The tightness of his mandibles, however, told her that he was uncomfortable. “I can take someone else if you can’t handle it.”

“I can handle it,” he said. “I just…damn it, Shepard. Why didn’t you tell me? I thought we were friends. Don’t you trust me?”

He was hurt, she realized in surprise. “Garrus,” she said gently. The desire to wipe the hurt from his tone was overwhelming. “I didn’t tell anyone. It wasn’t a lack of trust. I just didn’t want to upset the balance of power or make things awkward. If there was anyone I’d have told, it would have been you.”

“How did you hide it?” he asked.

She explained about her unique physiology and the changes since her resurrection. He seemed mollified and something tight within her loosened. She relaxed and said, “So, as long as you’re sure you can handle it, I’ll take you along. I don’t know how this works with turians.”

“I can handle it, Shepard,” he said confidently. “The desire is there. I’m not going to lie. But you have to remember, I come from a society based on hierarchy and discipline. An Alpha pushing himself onto an omega and forcing the bond is one of the worst kinds of crimes in our society. It’s up there with murder. I would never hurt you.”

“I know that,” she said. “I’m more concerned with whether you can focus and take orders.”

“I can focus. Breathers might help, though,” he said with a wry chuckle. “As for taking orders, you’re still the commander. In the field, in the day-to-day running of the ship, you’re the boss. Spirits know I don’t have any right to leadership, Alpha or no. I should have been born a beta or an omega. You’re far more suited to being an Alpha.”

The sadness was back in his eyes and she went to him as if being pulled by invisible strings. “No, Garrus,” she said, placing her hand on his mandible. It relaxed under her hand and his nasal plates shifted as he turned his face into her wrist and breathed deeply. Heat flared within her as his scent grew stronger and her chest tightened. He nuzzled lightly against her hand. She heard a low rumble from his chest and metal screeched as his hands tightened on the console behind him.

“Spirits, Shepard,” he said in a voice that was almost a growl, “please don’t tempt me.”

“Garrus,” she heard herself whisper.

The rumble turned to an all-out growl and his hands clasped her shoulders. For a moment, she thought he was going to draw her into him, but instead, he pushed her away. “Spirits, Shepard,” he cursed. “Keep that up and I won’t be able to focus. Look, my sister’s an omega. I know this is hard. Hold it together, Shepard.” His voice shifted to commanding on the last sentence and she straightened and stepped back from him.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I don’t know what came over me.” _Breathe. Find your control. You are the master of yourself, not your body. Block out his scent. Breathe._ “I should go.”

“Shepard,” he said softly. “I don’t want this to change things. If I was going to be with any human, it would be you. You’re about the only friend I’ve got in this screwed-up galaxy. I just, well, I want kids someday. And this is the first time I’ve even considered, ah, intimate relations and that isn’t fair to you. You deserve someone who wants to bond with you regardless of biology.”

“Gee, thanks,” she said with a teasing smile. “Way to build a girl’s confidence.”

“Shepard, I—” he began, looking as if she’d struck him. 

“It’s okay, Garrus,” she said, hating the look in his eyes. “I love you, but I don’t think it’s that kind of love when my hormones aren’t raging. You’ll make a wonderful Alpha to some lucky turian.”

Before he could respond, she turned and strode from the battery. That couldn’t happen in the field. She hadn’t considered that she might be the one who couldn’t focus. She hadn’t had that problem with Thane. Of course, her heat had just been starting the day before. Who knew? Maybe she’d respond to him that way, too. She might not be able to bring either of them with her, not because their control might falter, but because her own was in question.

She knocked on the door to Life Support and stood in the doorway when it opened. “Thane?” she called out.

“Yes, Shepard?” he replied. When she didn’t enter, he turned to look at her. “Is there a problem?”

“I need to test something,” she said tightly. “Turns out it isn’t the Alphas’ control I have to worry about.”

“Ah. Come in. I will try not to ravish you,” he said drily.

She raised a brow when she saw his mouth quirk into a slight smile. “This isn’t funny,” she grumbled and walked in.

“I apologize, Commander,” he said, but the smile hadn’t faded. She huffed and rolled her eyes. “What do you need me to do?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” she said. “I don’t know what triggers it.” The fire inside of her had banked itself when she’d escaped Garrus’ scent and sense had returned. He was family to her, but she couldn’t picture him as anything but a friend once her hormones had settled. Hesitantly, she leaned forward and sniffed Thane. He smelled good, damn good, and desire began to rise again. She _hated_ feeling at the mercy of her body this way. “May I touch you?” she asked hesitantly.

He nodded. When she raised her hand to his face as she had with Garrus, he took her gently by the wrist and placed it above his frill rather than below it. His nostrils flared slightly, but his control didn’t waver. “Your scent is strong at your wrists and throat,” he said. “Did he react when you did this?”

“Yes,” she said. “He smelled me like you did but he kind of moved into it.”

“Like this?” he asked and nuzzled against her hand.

Need roared to life, more powerful than before. She wanted him to lift her up and carry her over to his cot and lay her down on it. She wanted him to rip through their clothes and bury himself in her. It clawed in her throat and made her knees weak. Helplessly, she rose onto her tiptoes and placed a hand against his muscular chest as she leaned into him. Driven by instinct, she sought the velvety flesh where his jaw and throat met. She ached to lick and nip there, to seek the relief she knew she would find from the inferno that was suddenly ripping through her.

“Focus, Shepard,” he said sternly. His hand tightened around her wrist as he firmly placed it by her side.

“I’m trying,” she whispered, fighting the urge to drag her hand down his torso. She leaned her forehead against his chest and said, “Maybe I should bring the betas.”

Thane’s arms came around her and he placed a hand atop her hair. She felt his voice rumble in his chest. “You can do this, Shepard. You must. You have no choice but to lead. In your condition, I worry about you going out without an Alpha. Should your judgment be compromised, there are few crewmembers I trust not to take advantage or to be able to step up and lead in your place. Miranda is capable, but only Jacob will follow her and he is not experienced in leading a team. Neither are the others. If you cannot control yourself with me, at least take Garrus if you can with him.”

“I’d rather have you,” she admitted. 

“I can control myself,” he said. “Can you?”

“I hope so,” she said and dropped her hand. She and Garrus would be armored from head to toe. They shouldn’t be able to smell each other. Thane could control his reaction to her and keep her focused if the need arose. Hopefully, it would be enough. “We dock with the Collector ship in an hour. Be ready.”

She went to her cabin and showered with the water as cold as she could get it in the hopes that it would drive away the last of her desire and clear her head. It worked, at least temporarily, and she sent up a quick prayer to whatever gods were listening that she could maintain through the mission. This was too important to send anyone else and she desperately wanted Thane at her six. He was the most capable fighter she’d ever seen. Breathers and Collector ships and the _Normandy_ potentially at risk was more important than the desires of her traitorous body. She was trained for this. She’d worked through heats before and had done so with an Alpha present. Of course, Anderson had been her commanding officer at the time and he’d known the truth of her condition and had helped her maintain her focus, but she knew what she was doing and Thane was willing to help.

She met Thane at the shuttle and Garrus walked up a few moments later. The two looked surprised to see each other and cast a questioning look in her direction, but she disregarded it. She was relieved to note that her breather was working properly and she couldn’t smell either one of them. They climbed into the shuttle and she took her seat. The two males stared at each other for a long moment. She couldn’t see Garrus’ eyes, but she thought she saw something like a challenge in Thane’s. His hand clenched into a fist and Garrus slowly turned his back and took a seat across from her. Thane settled beside her and there was a jolt as the shuttle left its docking cradle.

The trip through the Collector ship was uneventful at first. There was an odd tension between Garrus and Thane, but it dissipated once they were aboard and got a good look at the first in what turned out to be a long line of horrors. She found that with their scent blocked, she could focus on the mission, but the sensation of wrongness didn’t leave her. It was too quiet, too empty. She was momentarily distracted when she found the M-98 Widow lying near the pods containing the dead Collectors and familiarized herself with it, but her unease only grew the further into the ship they moved. It felt like they were being drawn in and she didn’t like it.

She was almost relieved when the trap was sprung. She strongly preferred an enemy that she could see to one that lurked in the dark. The knowledge that Thane and Garrus were both Alphas didn’t override her drive to defend them, but she noticed that they were far more efficient than they’d ever been before. She knelt behind cover on one of the platforms with her new rifle while Garrus switched to his assault rifle and moved in closer. Thane drew his SMG and his biotics flashed in the air around them like an electrical storm.

It wasn’t until EDI had regained control of the systems and informed them of the Illusive Man’s treachery that Shepard recognized the source of the difference. Garrus was furious, but Thane’s icy rage took her by surprise. “Rest assured, Shepard, I will kill him,” he snarled. “He broke faith. He deliberately put you in danger. He is a threat.”

“I know,” she said.

Before any of them could say more, Joker warned them that the ship was coming back online and they began to run. Her suspicions were confirmed when she saw the way the two of them moved. Generally, she took point. Not so this time. Thane and Garrus were both faster than she was and Garrus took advantage of that to move out ahead of her. Thane remained steadfastly behind and to her right, covering her six. 

She would have been offended at the idea that she needed to be protected had she not known that they were simply doing what was in their nature. They were Alphas. She was an omega in heat. Of course, they would feel the need to protect her. It was an aspect she hadn’t considered because they’d never exhibited that kind of behavior with her before. She was simply grateful that the two of them had worked out whatever dominance check she now realized they’d been doing on the shuttle and that they trusted each other. It was rare for two Alphas to work cooperatively that way rather than challenging each other, but she supposed that the outside threat made it beneficial for them to work together.

They still followed her orders, but when they reached a large chamber and she drew the Cain to deal with the Praetorian that appeared, Thane threw a barrier around her and Garrus put himself in the line of fire from the flying horror, blocking her with his body until the Cain was fully charged. She fired it and Thane threw himself over her to shield her from the blast. When it was clear, he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to her feet. “Time to go,” he ordered.

A shockwave from a scion took down her shields a few minutes later and a Collector’s particle beam caught her in the shoulder. Before she could turn and fire, Garrus had taken the Collector down and Thane had warped the scion and shot it with his rifle. A second shot from her Widow put it down, but the recoil was excruciating against her wounded shoulder. Thane injected her with medigel and they pushed forward but were slowed by wave after wave of husks. Thane pushed his biotics to the limit throwing them back and Garrus attacked them with a ferocity that was downright feral. She felt almost superfluous as she cast plasma balls from her omni-tool and fired her Carnifex at the walking dead. The horde died and they ran for the shuttle.

Rather than boarding first, Thane grabbed her around the waist and dragged her into the shuttle with him. Garrus leapt into it behind them and slammed his fist against the cockpit door. The shuttle took off and Thane dropped to a knee in front of her. His breath came out in heavy snarls as he hastily stripped the armor from her shoulder. His eyes bored into her as he assessed the wound.

“I’m fine, Thane,” she said. “I’ve got this.”

He sneered in response and batted her hand aside. Garrus said tightly, “Let him do it, Shepard. It’ll be easier on both of us if you do. We’ll both breathe easier when you’re not hurt. In the future, it might be wise to bring only one Alpha when you’re in heat. Seeing you wounded and not being able to help is unpleasant.”

“What?” she teased. “You want to kiss it and make it better?”

Thane snarled, “Do not even think about it.” Shepard had to fight the urge to bury her face in his throat at the obvious possessiveness in his voice. He was staking a claim, at least with Garrus. If the latter wanted her, he would have to say so now and either she would have to make a choice, or the two of them would fight for the right to be considered by her. She had the final say, but her hormones would demand that she choose the winner.

“Seeing you fixed will be good enough,” Garrus said, avoiding the possibility of conflict. 

The shuttle docked with the _Normandy_ and Thane fought a very obvious battle with himself to respect her position as the commander of the ship when she insisted on going to the bridge before the med bay. Only when the ship was safely away from the Collector ship did she allow him to herd her to the doc. He hovered as Dr. Chakwas examined the injury and treated it and relaxed only when he saw that it was healed. He nodded almost to himself before almost bolting back to Life Support. She stopped by the main battery and allowed Garrus to see for himself before calling a meeting with the betas of the crew to discuss the trap the Illusive Man had sent them into and then having a word with the man himself. Only when that was finished did she return to her cabin.


	4. Chapter 4

It was worse. It was definitely worse. Even a cold shower didn’t bank the fire in her veins. Shepard felt as if she had ants marching beneath her skin. Mordin had synthesized the experimental hormone meant to mask her heat, but it wasn’t working. If anything, it had only intensified it. She was going to have to talk to him, but first, she needed a damn drink. 

Shepard exited the lift on the crew deck and strode toward the lounge. Kasumi was safe and might be able to distract her with a story, at least for a little while. 

“Shepard, I would advise that you not go into the lounge,” EDI said. “Zaeed is there.” 

Shepard cursed as she hesitated. Things were getting bad if she was tempted to go to him simply because she knew that honor wouldn’t stop him and he could ease this ache. She did _not_ want to be bound to Zaeed Massani. She was still pissed off at him over Zorya.

“Got it, EDI,” she said and reluctantly turned away. The door opened behind her and she stiffened.

“Goddamn, Shepard, you get a new perfume or something?” he asked. “You smell like…oh, fuck. Well, this could be fun.”

She would not run. She would not run. No way in hell would she let him see her run. She tried to ignore him and walk back to the elevator. She could go into Life Support, but that would trigger a conflict between the assassin and the mercenary and she wouldn’t force Thane’s hand that way. If he wanted her, he had to come to her. She wanted him, but he was the Alpha. It was his decision whether to take her or not and he’d refused so far. 

She hadn’t had a chance to discuss Mordin’s idea with him yet, but the intel she’d gotten from the Shadow Broker’s base—where she’d taken Tali with the excuse that she wanted to get the girl squad back together—made her believe that he wouldn’t be receptive to it. If he wanted to die and join Irikah, she couldn’t blame him. She didn’t like it, but she wouldn’t blame him. She couldn’t imagine the pain of losing one’s mate. 

Zaeed caught up to her and his hand on her arm stopped her in place. He lifted her wrist to his face and breathed in. “How the hell did an unclaimed omega get put in charge of this mission?” he asked against her skin. His arm slid around her waist, pulling her back to his chest, and he nuzzled the side of her neck. His stubble rasped along her skin and her head tilted to the side as she leaned back into him. Like him or hate him, being in an Alpha’s arms felt right. His voice turned sympathetic, but she couldn’t tell if he was mocking her or not. “You must be goddamn miserable, sweetheart.”

“Zaeed,” she said weakly. 

“I could help you with that,” he offered, nipping lightly at her neck while his hand stroked down to the waistband of her cargo pants. “Take you back into the lounge and fuck you till it don’t hurt anymore. Is that what you want, sweetheart?”

She moaned when his fingers trailed along the waistband of her pants. She did want it. She didn’t want it. She _needed_ relief. He could give it to her. He wasn’t her friend. He wasn’t a different species. He didn’t have the complications of a terminal illness or a dead mate. He might be willing to use his knowledge about her to undermine her if she wasn’t his, but if she was, he would _want_ to protect her. He wouldn’t take advantage of her. Would he?

This was why omegas didn’t lead. He wouldn’t take her without her consent, but her body demanded that she agree. If she had an Alpha in charge of the ship, protocol would dictate that he take his request to the higher-ranking Alpha, who could override her if he wasn’t on her list of acceptable Alphas. She wasn’t registered, though, and hadn’t anticipated this complication, so she didn’t have a list on file. Even if she did, there was no Alpha here who outranked her. She had to rely on her own willpower and it was rapidly fraying as his husky voice continued in her ear. 

“Say yes, Shepard, and I’ll make it all better. You need a goddamn Alpha. Omegas aren’t designed to lead alone.” His hand splayed above her pubic bone and her head fell back onto his armored shoulder. “That’s a girl. You know what to do.” 

“EDI,” she gasped, summoning the last of her resolve. “Get Thane.” Ship cohesion be damned. She’d deal with the fallout later. It would be nothing compared to being bound to Zaeed Massani for the rest of her life. Her body might be perfectly okay with the idea, but her mind absolutely wasn’t. He’d shown himself to be unfit for leadership on Zorya. For the sake of the mission, she couldn’t risk him being able to influence her decision-making. This was bigger than her raging hormones. And Thane was the only one who could not only stop Zaeed, but her as well.

The door to Life Support slid open and Thane sprinted out. He skidded to a stop in front of them with a snarl. “Remove your hands from her, Massani.”

“This is none of your business, Krios,” Zaeed said. “She gets to choose. Not us.”

“Then release her and allow her to make her choice,” Thane said darkly. 

Zaeed’s stubble scraped her neck again and he murmured, “Think about it, Shepard. I’m not dying. We’re the same species. I could give you kids. That’s going to be goddamn important to you in a couple years. We’re designed for each other. I can fuck you better than a bloody drell.”

She looked between the grizzled merc with his sly smile standing behind her and the drell in front of her with dark energy flickering over his hands. It was no contest, really; at least, not for her mind. Her body had other ideas, insisting that the arms she was in were good enough. Then, the air in the passageway shifted and Thane’s scent wrapped around her. When Zaeed released her, she stumbled forward and collapsed to her knees in front of Thane. He placed a hand on her head and stepped between herself and Zaeed. 

“She has chosen,” he said. “Go, Massani.”

“Claim her, Krios,” Zaeed growled. “Or, next time, I bloody will.”

Zaeed’s boots rang out on the deck as he stormed away and Thane dragged Shepard into the Life Support room with a terse order to EDI to lock the door. He pushed her up against the bulkhead and pinned her hands above her head. She threaded her fingers through his, adjusting for the difference in their hands, and whispered his name. 

He tilted his head down and dragged his nose across the line of her shoulder. “This is unwise, Siha,” he said. “I’m dying. Even if I were not, I am unsuited for domesticity. I am not the Alpha you need.”

“You’re the one I want,” she said. “I’m not a domestic omega. I can’t wait at home for my Alpha, content to cook and clean and care for a home and family. I need to fight. You understand that. You fight beside me.”

“I cannot give you children,” he said. “And adoption will not suffice. I am not a good father.”

“I can’t have children,” she said. “I don’t want them.”

“You may change your mind,” he warned, grazing her skin with his teeth.

“I’d be a terrible mother,” she gasped.

“I will _leave you_ ,” he said, his voice vibrating with emotion, “and it will destroy you.”

“We’re on a _suicide mission_ , Thane,” she said. She would beg if she had to. She was beyond pride. She needed him. Now. She turned her face in to his throat and whispered against it, “Take me, Thane.” 

“Siha.” His groan vibrated her lips and she pressed them against him, feeling the smooth texture of the ruby flesh against her open mouth. 

His control was slipping, overridden by instinct. He could turn away now, but his body was likewise screaming at him to claim her, to take her here and now and make her his. They were drawn to each other. That was apparent in his declaration to Garrus, his inability to keep his hands off of her, the need that vibrated through his body, echoing hers. 

“Please, Alpha,” she murmured. “Make me yours.”

“Damn you, Siha,” he snarled and tore her away from the wall. 

He pivoted with an arm around her waist and bent her over the table. His hands flew over the buckle of her belt and the button of her pants. He slid them down her legs and she felt his knuckles brush against her buttocks as he unfastened his own. She gasped when his fused fingers circled her center, spreading her wetness before sliding into her. Her breath came in rapid pants, hot and humid against the cool metal of his table. “Thane, please,” she gasped, rocking her hips against his hand, seeking more.

He formed himself over her and said in a low voice against her ear, “You wish for me to be your Alpha? Then I will take you at my leisure, not yours. Do not move, omega.”

He crouched behind her and replaced his fingers with his mouth. She moaned against the table and made a valiant effort to hold herself still, the need to obey her Alpha stronger than the need to move. Sparks danced behind her eyelids as he circled her clit with his tongue and scraped his teeth gently over her folds. His fingers slid into her again and she threw her head back. 

“Do not finish,” he ordered against her. “I want you to ride the edge for me.”

“Oh, gods,” she moaned. 

She was so close. Her body was on fire. She needed him like she’d needed air over Alchera, but he held her on the precipice of completion, drawing her back when she would have gone over and pushing her forward when she leaned away. He teased her with lips and teeth and tongue as his fingers continued their lazy exploration. After what seemed like an eternity, he stood and pressed himself against her. She felt his chest against her back and his fingers entwined with hers where they clawed at the metal. She gripped him hard as he slipped against her. 

“This is what you want, Siha?” he murmured. “You wish to be mine? You want me to take you?”

“Yes, Alpha,” she gasped. 

“As you wish,” he said and surged into her. She cried out and bucked against him, straining to take his girth. He was wider at the base than the head and had to rock his hips to work himself into her. He was relentless, unforgiving, and her body yielded to him inch by inch. When he was finally seated within her, he drew her up and used a hand over her sternum to brace her. “You are mine, omega.”

“Yes, Alpha,” she said, allowing her head to fall back against his shoulder. “Thane, please. Help me.”

His hand slid up and wrapped around her throat, gripping with just enough pressure to assert his utter control over her without blocking her air. He could kill her with that hand, but she felt no fear. It would be like killing a piece of himself. He began to move, cautiously at first but with increasing confidence as she took what he had to give. His hand slid from her throat to her hair and he jerked the collar of her shirt down to expose her shoulder with the other. 

“Say it, Siha,” he ordered. “Say you belong to me.”

“I’m yours, Alpha,” she groaned. 

“As I am yours, omega,” he said. She cried out when his hips snapped again and his base began to swell within her. He continued to move, stretching her almost to the point of pain as he spilled into her.

The edges of Thane’s teeth were extremely sharp, and outside of a slight sting when he broke the skin, there was no pain, only pleasure. Omegas’ nerves were buried deeper in that spot than anywhere else as bondmarks would otherwise be painful, especially when made with blunt human teeth. The bite stimulated the terminary gland, causing it to flood her system with ω prohormone. When the corresponding gland near her g-spot was stimulated by a knot, it released a chemical that converted the prohormone to the Ω hormones that bound her to him biologically as well as emotionally. When he released the bite, he used her hair to turn her head and pressed his forehead to hers, causing his intraorbital α gland to release the complementary hormones that bound him to her and marked her with his scent via the oils from his skin.

She sagged in his arms, overwhelmed by the relief and sense of belonging that flooded through her, and almost missed his whispered, “Oh, gods. What have I done?”


	5. Chapter 5

His words pierced her as surely as the teeth that had marked her and tied her permanently to him. She stiffened, but when she would have stepped away, she found herself held in place by the knot that had yet to diminish. “You regret this?” she whispered past the lump in her throat.

“I have done you a disservice,” he muttered against her shoulder. “I acted selfishly and it will be you who pays the price. I should have resisted. You may be the commander, but it was my responsibility to redirect you to someone more suitable.”

“I made my choice,” she said. “I want you.”

“Will you still feel that way in a year when I am gone and you are left to pick up the pieces alone?” he asked. “Losing Irikah was devastating and I am an Alpha. I do not _need_ an omega. I love you. I am afraid for you, Siha. I do not wish to put you through the torment I experienced.”

“Then don’t,” she whispered.

“You know it is not my choice,” he said, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear and tracing it with his finger. “If it was, I would remain by your side and protect you with everything I am.”

“You can,” she said. “I spoke with Mordin. You’re a viable transplant candidate.”

He tensed behind her. “Siha, a transplant would give us another year, possibly two, until Kepral’s destroyed those lungs as well. I cannot take the opportunity from another to live a full life for that, even for you.”

“And if Mordin cured you?” she asked. “Would it be worth it, then? He thinks he can do it.”

“He needs not give you false hope, Siha,” he said, finally withdrawing from her. He turned her to face him and cradled her jaw in his hands. “I understand your desperation, omega. However, you cannot allow yourself to be drawn in by hopes of a cure. There is none and it will only make the grieving process more difficult when I am gone. I will speak with him and ask that he make no further promises along those lines.”

“He can do it, Thane,” she said. “Just talk to him. Please? For me?”

Thane sighed and pressed his lips to her forehead. “I can deny you nothing, Siha. However, if his hopes are uncertain, promise me that you will let it go and simply enjoy what time we have together.”

They snuck into the elevator with EDI’s assurance that the way was clear and Thane stood with his arms around her as it rose. Shepard nuzzled his throat and sighed in contentment. For the first time since she’d woken on Lazarus Station, she felt safe. She felt like she belonged. When they reached her cabin, he waited on the couch while she cleaned herself. She avoided using medigel on her shoulder. His mark would be a permanent part of her. 

When she was dressed again, he accompanied her down to the tech lab. Mordin looked up with his habitual smile and said, “Oh, good. Experiment was success.”

“Your experiment failed,” Shepard said. “It only made it worse.”

“No way to mask hormone for you,” he said. “Sped up process. Increased intensity, shorter timespan. Bond means it worked. Would take more than normal pheromones to overcome Thane’s discipline.”

“Did you intend for this to happen?” she asked. 

“No, no. Of course not,” he said with a wave of his hand. “Not my decision to make. Happy side effect, if unintended.”

Thane said, “Shepard tells me you believe you can cure my condition. I would like to discuss this with you. If you cannot, it would please me if you refrain from offering her false hope.”

“Not false hope,” Mordin said, sounding offended. “Hanar have provided research data. When combined with Lazarus Project, cure 97.3 percent likely.”

“Are you serious?” Shepard asked.

“Always serious,” Mordin said. “No joking matter. With consent, will schedule transplant after Omega 4 relay. No time before. Try not to get injured. Could reduce efficacy, shorten time available to synthesize cure.”

Shepard turned to Thane and threw her arms around his neck. She beamed at him. “He can cure you!”

Thane’s nictitating membranes blinked once and then his arms were around her and he was spinning her around. He placed her back on her feet and pressed his forehead to hers. “Together,” he said. “For the rest of our days.”

Thane spoke with Mordin for over an hour, making plans and contingencies, before escorting Shepard up to her cabin again. When they were alone, she knelt before him in front of the bed with her head bowed. He slid his fingers into her hair and tilted her head back. “Chin up, Siha. You are my blessing, not my property. You do not have to subjugate yourself to me.”

She bit her lip and said haltingly, “Are you sure this is what you want? Irikah…”

“Is gone,” he said. “And we are still here.”

“But your beliefs,” she said. “Doesn’t that leave her alone?”

He ran a gentle hand down her face and cupped her chin. “I love that you consider that, Siha. Do not let it trouble you. There is no pain or loneliness on the distant shore of the infinite spirit. She is not unhappy. Even if there was, she would not begrudge us this. Irikah would have wished for me to find happiness. She had the most generous soul of anyone I have ever known. We were not soulbound. Death released her.”

“You weren’t?” Shepard asked. “But, I thought…”

“Do you truly believe I would have been able to do the harm I did to her, even unintentionally, if we were?” he asked. “The soulbound do not disconnect unless a part of their soul dies. I was disconnected before her death. It is what led to it and a shame I will carry to my grave. You, Siha, are my soul.”

He drew her to her feet and into his arms. “I love you, Thane,” she whispered. “My Alpha.”

“And I, you, omega.”


End file.
